Game Preview: IceCaps at Sharks
Posted by IceCaps on
November 01, 2011 at 5:24 pm

St. John’s visits Worcester in first of two matchups this week

On Tuesday, the IceCaps stop at the DCU Center in Worcester to play the Sharks (San Jose) on the heels of a pair of 4-3 overtime losses in Springfield and Providence this past weekend.

St. John’s will look to halt their three-game losing streak and start November on a positive note. Despite outshooting their opponents in every game this season, St. John’s has yet to find consistent scoring, due in large part to their inefficient power play. With the man advantage, the IceCaps rank last in the league, converting at just an 8.9% rate.

The IceCaps have received significant offensive contributions from the blueline thus far. Paul Postma leads the team in scoring with eight points (2g, 6a) while Mark Flood leads all skaters with 33 shots on goal through 10 games.

The key for St. John’s will be starting fast and getting on the score sheet first. The IceCaps have been outscored 9-7 in the first period this season but are a perfect 4-0 when scoring the game’s first goal.

The Sharks, despite being unbeaten in regulation time, sit third in the Atlantic Division. The team’s six games played are the fewest in the AHL.

Worcester has received stellar goaltending from the tandem of Tyson Sexsmith and Harri Sateri. Sexsmith leads the AHL with a 1.69 GAA in four starts while Sateri has won both of his starts, allowing just four goals in total.

Offensively, the Sharks are led by rookie forward Mike Connolly, who has 10 points in six games and sits fourth in AHL rookie scoring. Connolly, the University of Minnesota-Duluth product, led the NCAA champion Bulldogs in scoring in 2010-2011, notching 28 goals and 54 points in 42 games. The undrafted 22-year-old forward signed an entry-level deal with San Jose back in April.

Tuesday’s game marks the third of a six-game road trip for St. John’s, which will return to Worcester on Saturday. The IceCaps also travel to Connecticut on Friday and finish the road swing against Bridgeport on Sunday before heading home for six games at Mile One Centre.

Catch all the action with Brian Rogers on 930 AM This Is Newfoundland Labrador and online at www.stjohnsicecaps.com. The pregame show begins at 8:00 p.m. with the drop of the puck scheduled for 8:30 (all times Newfoundland).